The present invention relates in general to ice handling apparatus, and more particularly to a combined ice storage bin and discharge apparatus for storing a mass of fragmented ice and moving it toward one end of the storage apparatus together with a discharge mechanism therefor.
Heretofore, various types of ice storage devices have been provided for storing a large quantity of ice and discharge of the ice for bagging or for delivery to a use station. One type of such apparatus heretofore used has been the type known as a "Kasten Transfer Bin", of the type sold by Ice Plant Equipment, Co., of Philadelphia, Pa, wherein a generally rectangular storage bin or box-like container is provided with floor chains to move a mass of ice toward one end of the bin, and a series of several high speed rotating beater bars with rotating arms are provided at the end toward which the mass of ice is advanced to beat at the face of the advancing mass of ice. The self-unloading Kasten Transfer Bin is lined with a high density polyethylene material and includes what are referred to as "blade-tooth beaters" to break lose ice fragments which fall into an auger discharge conveyor for transfer into the bags. It has been found, however, that the beating action occurring in this Kasten Transfer Bin creates a great amount of "snow" or "fines" from the ice, which is of little use and gives no uniformity in size of the ice. The rapidly rotating bars are also considered a safety hazard and give an uncontrolled flow rate.
The amount of "fines" or "snow" generated is of considerable importance, since they are difficult to handle, often cause packing or jamming in conveying or handling systems, and must be screened out before bagging if the ice is to be bagged for sale. Such screening may represent a loss of up to about 30% in some of the bin designs.
Other designs of bins which have been widely used are of the top rake unloader type, wherein the ice mass in the boxlike container does not move, but a rake drags across the top of the ice mass and brings the ice on top of the pile to one end of the bin for unloading. This design is quite complicated since the up and down moment of the rake must be positively controlled by cables to control the rate of discharge as the bin is unloading and must also be controlled in a way to prevent the rake from being buried under the ice when the bin is filling. This produces severe design complications. The amount of snow created by this system is similar to that produced in the Kasten Transfer Bin type of apparatus, and in addition the machinery being located on top of the ice pile is such that the raking occurs at the top of the pile only, and frequently the bottom half or so of the ice mass freezes into a solid mass which is unusable. When such ice mass freezing occurs, the bin must be shut down to melt or dig out this bottom part. Sanitation is also a severe problem in this type of bin since all moving and wearing parts as well as any repair functions must be done on top of the ice mass and any leakage, dripping or bearing particles fall directly into the ice and cause ice contamination.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel ice storage bin and discharge mechanism for discharge of uniform size ice, for use in bagging and similar use operations, wherein movement of the ice mass toward the discharge end is achieved at a constant rate and cutter blades are provided which operate at constant speed, taking a constant bite or cut off the face of the advancing ice mass at a slow and controlled rate, resulting in ice particles of constant size and minimizing production of fines.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel ice storage bin and discharge mechanism as described in the preceding paragraph, wherein means are provided for moving the mass of fragmented ice toward one end of the storage container at a controlled rate into a set of vertical knives moving completely across the face of the advancing mass at a controlled rate, so as to shear a fixed thickness of ice particles off the face of the ice mass with a minimum of fines or snow, together with a screw conveyor means for delivering the sheared ice particles to a desired location for immediate use or bagging.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.